The renovated barges, now called Houseboats, boast from one to seven bedrooms, a modern bathroom, living room, kitchenette and veranda for fishing from, or in our case relaxing and watching life on the backwaters drift by. 

An Indian friend once told me if ever I found myself in India I must go to "Gods Own Country" and cruise the Backwaters of Kerala on a converted rice barge. 

So, here we were on the 900km. network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets.

It was so peaceful as we made our way along the waterways watching the local traffic as well as our fellow house-boaters

The crew prepared our lunch then moored along the bank to eat.  But not before they had helped themselves to some betel nut high up a tree.  They had come prepared with a machete on a long pole.  We assumed they would have a happy evening.  

Lunch was delicious, it is amazing what can be prepared on a couple of gas rings.

On the menu was, baked fish, fish curry, a flamingo pink dish which turned out to be beetroot and mustard seed in yoghurt, stir fried beans with coconut and a masala of spices, Cabbage and carrots with turmeric etc, tomato and cucumber salad, dal and of course rice.

We would have loved the recipes but our crews English wasn't up to the challenge.